Studies on Steroids CCXXXXIV. Separation and Characterization of C-25 Epimers of Unconjugated and Conjugated Trihydroxycholestanoic Acids in Urine from a Patient with Zell Weger Syndrome by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

The separation and characterization of C-25 epimers of unconjugated and glycine- and taurine-conjugated 3α, 7α, 12α - trihydroxy-5β-cholestanoic acid (THCA) in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are described. The 5β-cholestanoic acid fraction was obtained from a urine specimen from a patient with Zellweger syndrome by passing it through a Sep-pak C₁₈ cartridge. Bile acids were derivatized quantitatively into the fluorescent compounds through the hydroxyl group at C-3 by treatment with 1-anthroyl nitrile. The derivatives were separated into the unconjugated, glycine- and taurine-conjugated fractions by ion-exchange chromatography on alipophilicgel, piperidinohydroxypropyl Sephadex LH-20. Sub-sequent resolution of each fractionin to (25s)- and (25R)-THCA was attained by HPLC on a Cosmosil 5C column. The C-25 epimers of unconjugated and conjugated Tk%A were unequivocally identified on the b asis of the irbehaviors in HPLC using mobile phases of different pHs. The ratios of the unconjugated, glycine- and taurine-conjugated (25RbTHCA to the corresponding (25S)-epimers were 16:1, 5:4 and 3:2, respectively .